Universal dental capsule filler for use by the dental profession



Dec. 19, 1950 J. M. SHOEMAKER, SR 5 9 UNIVERSAL DENTAL CAPSULE FILLERFOR USE BY THE DENTAL PROFESSION Filed May 20, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet lJOHN M. SHOEMAKER SR.

INVENTOR.

BY V

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 19, 1950 J. M. SHOEMAKER, SR 2,534,630

' UNIVERSAL DENTAL CAPSULE FILLER FOR USE BY THE DENTAL PROFESSION FiledMay 20, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOHN M. SHOEMAKER,5R.

INVENTOR. BY J G0 ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 19, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNIVERSAL DENTALCAPSULE FILLER FOR USE BY THE DENTAL PROFESSION 5 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved device for filling capsules withalloy and mercury used by the dental profession. The device consists ofa block for holding or supporting a capsule, a slide block into whichthe capsule supporting block is inserted, and a housing into which theslide block is passed and through which the materials are delivered tothe capsule.

The object of this invention is to provide a device for securely holdinga capsule so that it may be filled with the alloy and mercury in anexpeditious and sanitary manner. The device simplifies processing andavoids touching by hand.

A further object is to provide a method of filling various kinds ofcapsules.

A further object is to permit all types of capsules to be removed with aminimum of difficulty.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the assembled device.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the assembled device.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the assembled de-:'

vice along line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing block, slide, and capsule inplace.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the slide.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a typical block.

Fig. 6 is a front view of a typical block.

Fig. '7 is a side view of a typical block.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the slide with block and capsule inserted.

The device consists of a rectangular housing I I, surmounted by acircular offset I2 which extends a little above the upper surface.Ofiset I2 is surmounted by ofiset I3, also circular, and somewhatsmaller in size than offset I2. Offset I3 extends a little above offsetI2. A smoothly tapered hole I4 extends through offsets l2 and I3 and theupper wall of the housing II, terminating in a channel I6 therein. Thehole I4 is larger in diameter on the outer surface of the assembly thanon the inner surface, being of conical formation and the outer end isfaired smoothly into the upper surface of upper ofiset I3. The sides ofhousing I I curve outward about halfway toward the bottom and becomevertical again to broaden the base. A rectangular channel I6 passescompletely through housing I I from the forward to the rear sides. Thechannel is open to the outside of the housing by virtue of tapered holeI4 leading through the upper surface of the housing.

Slide block I5 is roughly rectangular in shape, and is a solid blockexcept for apertures hereinafter described. Slide block I5 .fits within2 channel It of housing II. To the front end of the slide block isattached plate I] which is also rectangular and slightly larger in areathan the channel I 6. Attached to plate I! is handle 24 which is roughlycylindrical in shape and extends a short distance beyond the plate. Inthe center of the slide block I5 is a hole I9 or pocket which iscircular in cross section, sufflciently less in diameter than the widthof the slide block to per mit a thin wall at the edge of the slide blockadjacent to the major diameter of the hole. At this point, the top ofthe thin-wall portion of the slide block is cut out in a semi-circle,decreasing the depth of the hole or pocket. Elsewhere, the hole extendsabout seven-eighths 0f the depth of the slide block. Forward and aft ofthe hole I!) are two apertures or pockets 23, semi-circular intransverse cross-section and rectangular in plan view, extending withthe short dimension in a forward and aft direction. These apertures havea depth of about one-fourth "of the depth of the slide block, a lengthslightly less than the width of the slide block, and a width aboutonehalf the length.

A capsule supporting block I8 fits into hole or pocket I9, and iscircular in cross-section to fit the hole I9. In the center of thecapsule supporting block I8 is hole or recess 2|, circular in types ofcapsule supporting blocks. The hole or recess 2| has a depth aboutseven-eighths the depth of capsule supporting block I8. Twodiametrically opposite segments of the upper surface of the capsulesupporting block t8 are cut away for a depth of about one-fourth that ofthe block, leaving two exposed fingers with a width approximatelyequaling the diameter of the hole 2 I.

The operation of the device is as follows: Capsule 20 is placed intohole or recess 2| of the capsule supporting block I8, which is designedto hold the capsule snugly in place, and leave a sufficient portion ofthe capsule protruding above the surface thereto so that thecapsule maybe easily removed by grasping with thumb and forefinger. This ispossible becauselof the cutaway portion of the capsule supportingblockas previously described. The capsule jfsupporting block I8 is thenplaced in hole or pocket I 9 of slide block I5 by grasping it by thefingers 22, or by the sides of the block exposed by the semi-circularcutaway of sides of slide block I 5; thus the position of the capsule isundisturbed. The cap-" sule'supporting block may be any of several typesin accordance with the size of capsule to be filled, but all capsulesupporting blocks have the same exterior dimensions to permit aninterchangeable fit into hole or pocket l9. Substitution of capsulesupporting blocks is simplified by the absence of screws or otherfastening devices, since gravity is suificient to keep them in place.Slide block I is then inserted into channel l6 of housing H, and issecurely held in place by the four walls of the channel. These wallsserve to keep the slide block, and accordingly the capsule supportingblock and capsule in a definite horizontal and vertical relation tohousing ll, while plate I! contacts the front walls of housing H andmaintains a fixed relation to housing I I in a fore and aft direction.With the slide block in this position, capsule 20 is directly undertapered or conical filler hole l4, and the alloy and mercury aredelivered through hole [4 into capsule l9. When the filling operation iscomplete, slide block [5 is pulled back out of channel I 6 by means ofhandle 24, and the capsule is extracted from hole or recess 2! ofcapsule supporting block 18. The device is then in readiness foradditional operations.

I claim:

1 A dental capsule filler comprising a housing having a top wall with anopening therein surrounded by a conical wall, a reciprocating blockinterfittingly slidable in said housing, said block having an upwardlyopening central pocket therein, a capsule supporting block removablymounted in said pocket and having a center recess for the support of acapsule and means at the outer end of the slide block adapted forabuttingly engaging the adjacent end of the housing 4 for aligning thecapsule with the opening in the top wall of the housing.

2. A dental capsule filler as in claim 1, wherein said housing is openat opposite ends and the means on the slide block abuttingly engagingthe housing includes an outwardly directed flange on the outer end ofthe slide block.

3. A dental capsule filler as in claim 1, wherein the side walls of thepocket at diametrically opposite sides of the slide block are cut awayadjacent the upper end of the block to facilitate removal of the capsulesupporting block when the slide block is removed from the housing.

4. A dental capsule filler as in claim 3, wherein diametrically oppositeupstanding gripping fingers are carried by the upper end of the capsulesupporting block.

5. A dental capsule filler as in claim 4, wherein a pocket for auxiliarycapsules is formed in the upper face of the slide block adjacent eachend thereof and outwardly of said central pocket. JOHN MARCUS SHOEMAKER,SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the of thispatent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 317,482 Albach et al Ma 12, 1885346,964 Walsh Aug. 10, 1886 479,812 Johnston Aug. 2, 1892 1,743,694Tierney Jan. 14, 1930

